A World Falling Apart

The Huaguang community (華光社區) is one of the last mainlander villages left in central Taipei. This old community retains the mood and traditions of old times. Its inhabitants, civil servants from the Ministry of Justice, mainlander families and others Taiwanese, have been living here for more than 50 years. By the end of 2012, this community will be demolished to give way to a financial centre called "Taipei Wall Street". Inhabitants are calling for justice and decent relocation solutions. Through this documentary, a collection of nocturnal colors photography, the presence of the inhabitants is suggested but not shown outright, their anger and frustration is just acknowledged but not emphasized. The wall and windows, the alleys and the vegetation, where you can feel the sweat of their existence, are all photographed by night to underlie the unreal mood that will follow the demolition. No digital retouchings have been made to the photos; all shot with a Kodak Ektar Chrome 100.

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Journalist at "Taiwan Aujourd'hui", living in Taipei since 6 years. Photography is a way to pursue an unspeakable reality, to catch a “sub-reality”, to express strong feelings linked to lights and atmospheres shaped by the city. I like to raise the questions about the bonds between people, their everyday life and the city surrounding them. Humans are building cities but cities are shaping their life. Taipei, a metropolis where density is one of the highest in the world, is an excellent example about how a city can determine people’s everyday lives. Photography is a way to express this relationship between urbanity and people, their environment and the way they are interacting.